The State Bar of California review: consumer alert! did you seek help from the california state bar for loan mod fraud and get the ultimate run around? 5

Consumer Alert! Did You Seek Help From the California State Bar for Loan Mod Fraud and Get the Ultimate Run Around?
The Chief Trial Counsel’s office is the disciplinary arm of the State Bar of California. It is a consumer protection agency and is statutorily mandated to investigate complaints. When it fails to do so, anyone can file what is called a “Writ of Mandate.”

A writ of mandate is an order to a public agency or governmental body to perform an act required by law when it has neglected or refused to do so. It is also referred to as a writ of mandamus. A person may also petition for a writ of mandamus when an official has refused to fulfill a legal obligation, such as ordering an agency to enforce its rules or release public records.

If you are a consumer that filed a complaint with the California State Bar with regard to loan modification fraud and was unsuccessful in securing adequate compensation for your damages – or – if you applied for reimbursement from the California State Bar’s Client Security Fund and was rejected or otherwise ignored, please send me your story to [protected]@erinbaldwin.com.

I am very well aware that this problem is not limited only to loan modification fraud. In short form, I will be expanding the Writ to include other significant issues so that everyone has a voice. Therefore, do not hesitate to contact me with other complaints submitted to the California State Bar in other areas of the law.

A year and a half ago, on June 14, 2009, I posted an announcement on my first blog, Bad Biz Finder, that I intended to write a Writ of Mandate against the California State Bar on behalf of California consumers seeking restitution for monetary damages suffered as the result of retaining California attorneys for loan modification services.

What followed was and is a horrendous attempt by the California State Bar (and its protected attorneys, judges, law enforcement, employees, and other California state agencies) to squash the life out of me, beginning only two days after the article was published on June 16, 2009, when UDR illegally evicted me from my apartment, leaving me homeless, then three days later, on June 19, 2009, confiscated everything I owned and sold it to James Parsa to use as evidence against me. (See: http://erinbaldwin.com/2011/01/27/breaking-news-parsa-law-group-update-baldwin-files-motion-to-dissolve-injunction-set-aside-judgment/ specifically pages 16-24 of the Memorandum of Points & Authorities in the link “Motion – Part I” that states for the record the chronology of events since January 2009).

At that time, I named a group of attorneys (set forth below) for whom I had documented proof of violations of the law, namely the California Foreclosure Consultants Act (California Civil Code section [protected].11) as well as violations of the Business & Professions Code and California State Bar Professional Rules of Conduct.

In that blog article, I called for a showing of California consumers who had been harmed by these attorneys and asked whether they would like to be named as a beneficiary of any award granted as a result of this lawsuit. I also informed the prospective respondents that their name would not appear on the Writ of Mandate, that they would not be required to file responsive pleadings, or go to court unless they chose to do so.

Further, I explained that the lawsuit was being brought against the California State Bar on behalf of clients harmed by its member attorneys due to the State Bar’s lack of enforcement of its rules written to protect consumers against attorney misconduct as well as the implementation of proper disciplinary action upon notification of the misconduct.

The California State Bar’s primary vehicle set up to protect consumers was and still is its Chief Trial Counsel’s office and its Client Security Fund. Every year each licensed attorney pays a certain amount into this fund and the fund grows and serves as a pool of money to reimburse clients for attorney misconduct.

So, it would stand to reason that if the California State Bar decides to discipline, suspend or disbar an attorney for misconduct, that the clients of that attorney have a right to collect monetary damages under the Client Security Fund, right? Not so fast.

Can you even imagine the liability of the California State Bar to open the door to all clients of its attorney members that defrauded consumers in foreclosure? Not to mention, the actions that would be brought directly against the State Bar for negligence and failure to remove the offending attorneys. The California State Bar would be finished, it would cease to exist, it would no longer be able to protect criminal activity by and amongst its members or by and amongst California State Bar officials.

As a practical example, let’s take a look at ex-loan modification scam attorney, James Mazi Parsa. Parsa was suspended from the practice of law by the California State Bar on August 31, 2009 for crimes involving moral turpitude stemming from Parsa’s statutory rape convictions in 2000. On October 16, 2009, Parsa voluntarily surrendered his license (with charges pending). Please note that the California State Bar did not suspend Parsa for any other reason that crimes involving moral turpitude.

During the same period of time Parsa was also being investigated by the California Attorney General’s office for illegal advertising and solicitation and running a ”law firm” with no lawyers. When Parsa surrendered his license, the Attorney General’s office dropped its investigation of Parsa because as far as they were concerned, he was no longer a threat to consumers.

When victims of James Parsa went to file an application for relief from the California State Bar Client Security Fund for loan modification fraud, the claims were rejected. Why? Because the State Bar didn’t suspend Parsa for loan modification fraud, they suspended him for crimes involving moral turpitude. When victims attempted to point to the California Attorney General’s office investigation for back-up, all that was left was a terminated investigation without a showing of misconduct on the part of James Parsa.

Now what? All those consumers were left with no recourse. And James Parsa keeps their money and can re-apply for admission to the California State Bar in two years which is coming up in eight months, October 16, 2011.

That’s just ONE example, folks. There are hundreds of examples just like that one. That is why I am re-opening my announcement to consumers who have been defrauded by the following list of attorneys arranged in alphabetical order. Please note, the attorneys with ”By Association” next to their name, are joined into the lawsuit by way of direct association, knowledge of, and participation in the fraud perpetrated by an attorney listed.

PLEASE REMEMBER, I PUBLISHED THIS LIST AS A WARNING TO CONSUMERS ON JUNE 14, 2009

Pernell B. Agdeppa

Griswold & Agdeppa

See: http://members.calbar.ca.gov/search/member_detail.aspx?x=237064

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Alton Burkhalter (By Association) (Spearheaded 3 vexatious, malicious and unconstitutional defamation actions against me in six months)

Burkhalter, Kessler, Goodman & George, LLP

See: http://members.calbar.ca.gov/search/member_detail.aspx?x=119594

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Jeffrey A. Cancilla (Sued me for defamation, joining Parsa Law Group and UDR, Inc., then voluntarily dismissed the charges against me)

Solution Law Group / Solution Processing LLC

See: http://members.calbar.ca.gov/search/member_detail.aspx?x=235428

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Nicholas Chavarela

America’s Law Group

See: http://members.calbar.ca.gov/search/member_detail.aspx?x=251632

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Brian J. Colombana (Suspended, disbarred and fled to Equador)

Mortgage Relief Law Center

See: http://members.calbar.ca.gov/search/member_detail.aspx?x=238272

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Joseph D’Agostino (By Association)

Orange County District Attorney

See: http://members.calbar.ca.gov/search/member_detail.aspx?x=115774

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Steven L. Dickinson (Suspended from the practice of law 3 times since 2001, still active)

Dickinson & Associates

See: http://members.calbar.ca.gov/search/member_detail.aspx?x=110475

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Christian M. Dillon (Suspended from the practice of law in August of 2009)

Law Offices of Christian M. Dillon

See: http://members.calbar.ca.gov/search/member_detail.aspx?x=89376

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Scott J. Drexel (By Association) (Fired from the State Bar and replaced by Russell Weiner)

Former Chief Trial Counsel of the California State Bar

See: http://members.calbar.ca.gov/search/member_detail.aspx?x=65670

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Steven C. Feldman (Still active but has an “F” rating with the Better Business Bureau)

Feldman Law Center / Federal Loan Modification Center

See: http://members.calbar.ca.gov/search/member_detail.aspx?x=103676

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Nathan W. Fransen

Fransen & Molinaro LLP

See: http://members.calbar.ca.gov/search/member_detail.aspx?x=242867

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Holly Fujie (By Association) (Left the State Bar in disgrace after trying to blame Scott Drexel.)

Buchalter Nemer

See: http://members.calbar.ca.gov/search/member_detail.aspx?x=82034

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Eric Goodman (By Association) (Spearheaded 3 vexatious, malicious and unconstitutional defamation actions against me in six months)

Burkhalter, Kessler, Goodman & George, LLP

See: http://members.calbar.ca.gov/search/member_detail.aspx?x=210694

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Julia Leah Greenfield (Previously James Parsa’s attorney of record, now pretends to have disdain for him.)

Greenfield Law Offices

See: http://members.calbar.ca.gov/search/member_detail.aspx?x=102713

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

James E. Griswold

Griswold & Agdeppa

See: http://members.calbar.ca.gov/search/member_detail.aspx?x=207294

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Elizabeth A. Henderson (By Association)

Orange County Assistant District Attorney – Major Fraud Unit

See: http://members.calbar.ca.gov/search/member_detail.aspx?x=138968

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Daniel J. Kessler (By Association) (Spearheaded 3 vexatious, malicious and unconstitutional defamation actions against me in six months)

Burkhalter, Kessler, Goodman & George, LLP

See: http://members.calbar.ca.gov/search/member_detail.aspx?x=173710

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Michael M. Kessler

Law Offices of Michael M. Kessler

See: http://members.calbar.ca.gov/search/member_detail.aspx?x=137204

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Steven K. Kop

New Dawn Law / Law Offices of Steve K. Kop

See: http://members.calbar.ca.gov/search/member_detail.aspx?x=91354

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

John Latini

Attorney at Law

See: http://members.calbar.ca.gov/search/member_detail.aspx?x=127958

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Leland L. Moglen

M3 Legal Services / Mend My Mortgage

See: http://members.calbar.ca.gov/search/member_detail.aspx?x=141490

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Paul Molinaro

Fransen & Molinaro, LLP

See: http://members.calbar.ca.gov/search/member_detail.aspx?x=242879

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Maryam Parman (see: http://erinbaldwin.com/2011/01/16/anonymous-hater-turns-out-to-be-parman-law-group/)

The Parman Law Group

See: http://members.calbar.ca.gov/search/member_detail.aspx?x=197601

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Mitra Parman (see: http://erinbaldwin.com/2011/01/16/anonymous-hater-turns-out-to-be-parman-law-group/)

The Parman Law Group

See: http://members.calbar.ca.gov/search/member_detail.aspx?x=224838

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

James M. Parsa (Suspended from the practice of law on August 31, 2009)

Parsa Law Group/National Loan Modification Center

See: http://members.calbar.ca.gov/search/member_detail.aspx?x=153389

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Warren W. Quann

Law Offices of Warren W. Quann

See: http://members.calbar.ca.gov/search/member_detail.aspx?x=140032

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Ronald P. Rodis (Suspended from the practice of law on October 15, 2009)

Rodis Law Group

See: http://members.calbar.ca.gov/search/member_detail.aspx?x=181873

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Maryam Rohani (By Association) (Spearheaded 3 vexatious, malicious and unconstitutional defamation actions against me in six months)

Burkhalter, Kessler, Goodman & George, LLP

See: http://members.calbar.ca.gov/search/member_detail.aspx?x=198214

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Roya Rohani (Suspended from the practice of law in May of 2006 for stealing client’s money, still active.)

Parsa Law Group

See: http://members.calbar.ca.gov/search/member_detail.aspx?x=193175

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Sean Alan Rutledge (Suspended from the practice of law on November 9, 2009)

United Law Group

See: http://members.calbar.ca.gov/search/member_detail.aspx?x=255938

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Robert G. Scurrah

Consumer Debt Advocates

See: http://members.calbar.ca.gov/search/member_detail.aspx?x=82766

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Richard G. Stinstrom (Suspended from the practice of law on June 20, 2010)

United Law Group

See: http://members.calbar.ca.gov/search/member_detail.aspx?x=140675

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Marc R. Tow

Marc R. Tow & Associates

See: http://members.calbar.ca.gov/search/member_detail.aspx?x=78429

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Michael G. Yoder (By Association)

O’Melveny & Myers

See: http://members.calbar.ca.gov/search/member_detail.aspx?x=83059

Since June 14, 2009, this list has grown five times over. All you have to do to join this mission is send an email to [protected]@erinbaldwin.com and give me your name and the name of the attorney you retained who failed to provide loan modification services as promised. That’s it. If you care to share with me any attempts you have made to contact the California State Bar or apply for restitution via its Client Security Fund, that would be helpful.

Erin Baldwin